Valve



Feb. 29, 1944. A. F. JENKINS 2,343,146,

VALVE Original Filed Dec. 6, 1940 Patented Feb. 29, 1944 -UNITED' STATEVALVE Alexander F. Jenkins, Baltimore, Md.

Original application December 6, 1940, Serial No.

368,937. Divided and this application December 5, 1941, Serial No.421,819

1 Claim.

This invention relates to fluid pressure regulators and moreparticularly to devices of this character which are adapted to beinserted in high pressure gas lines to efiect the delivery of gases atreduced pressures which may be maintained at constant values.

The general object of the invention is to provide novel and improvedpressure regulators of the class described which are of simpleconstruction, composed of a minimum number of parts, and easy tomanufacture, assemble, and use.

A more particular object of the invention is the provision of aregulator comprising a novel valve seat and nozzle assembly which may beapplied to and removed from the device as a unit and which ispractically frictionless, exceedwardly projecting boss 14 around whichare a formed raised portions containing fluid passageingly sensitive,and subject to a minimum amount of variation.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingspecification when read in which certain embodiments of my invention areillustrated by way of example.

In the drawing:

' Figured is a view partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection of a regulator of the type described;

Figure 2 is aview in elevation of the valve unit which forms anessential part of the regulator;

ways and terminating respectively in the outlet nipple l5, the gaugenipple l6 to which a pressure gauge of conventional type may be applied,and the inlet nipple I8 for the attachment of inlet connections, whichmay be connected to the source'of liquid, either directly or through aprior stage of pressure regulation.

The body casting 12 of the regulator is provided with an inletpassageway 10 passing through the nipple or boss l8 and leading to aninlet chamber 14 disposed within thecentral boss M. This chamber 14 isadapted to receive the novel valve unit 15 which is substantially aself-.

contained element which is threaded into the 20. connection with theaccompanying drawing in body portion of the regulator. For this purpose,the slightly larger portion 3| of the substantially cylindrical valveunit 15 is externally threaded for cooperation of the internal threadsof the recess 32 in the regulator casting.

The valve unit 15 is provided with an axial I bore 33 which is enlargedadjacent the mid- In the drawing are shown certain features which arenot directly involved in the present invention but which are comprisedin the inventions described in my copending application, Serial No.368,937, filed December 6, 1940, of which the present application is adivision, and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 421,820,filed Dec. 5, 1941; and reference is made ito these applications for .amore detailed disclosure of such features. The novel valve constructionwhich comprises an important feature of the present invention, is shownin Figure 1 of the drawing in association with the pressure regulator.of which it is an important part. The regulator assembly, designatedgenerally by the" numeral [0, comprises a body casting I2,-which is of agenerally circular configuration. The body portion- I2 is provided witha central downings 39. The bore 33 at the end of the unit 15 oppositethe valve seat is provided wltha slot or squared enlargement 40 for theapplication of a screwdriver or other tool for removing the valve,

unit from the device. The chamber 14 is nor: mally closed by the cap 16which may be unscrewed for the removal of the valve'unit 15. This cap isprovided with a recess l2! in which is seated a cup-shaped filter screenelement I20. This filter screen completely surrounds the downwardlyprojecting portion of the valve plug 15.

and may be readily removed for cleaning by the removal of the cap iii.

In the upper portion of the body casting 12 of the regulator, there isformed an outlet fluid chamber 98 which is of an annular configuration,

the upper wall of which is comprised by the actuating diaphragm 85. Anoutlet passage 99 leads from the chamber 98 through the outlet nippleIS. The pressure gauge nipple l6 also has a passageway communicatingwith the outlet chamber 38. v

For operatively connecting the valve 15 with the actuating diaphragm 85,there is provided a an opening through which extends a member I80 whichis provided with a head I19 adapted to abut the pin I18. The memberI80'is threaded into a plate I82 and the diaphragm is clamped at itscentral portion between the head I19 and the plate I82. The dome or capmember I88 encloses the coil spring 90 which is compressed between thediaphragm plate I82 and the upper spring seat button 92. The adjustingscrew 95 is threaded into the end of the cap or casing I88 and ismanipulated by means of a handle 96 to accurately adjust the degree ofcompression exerted upon the diaphragm by the spring 90. To provide ananti-friction connection between the screw 95 and the spring, the springseat 92 is cupped as at 93 and a ball element 94 received within arecess in the end of the screw 95 is adapted to seat in the cuppedportion of the member 92. t

The central member I80 which passes through the diaphragm is providedwith a passageway 280 into the bottom of which one or more passageways219 lead from the outlet chamber 98.

A relief valve casing 28I is threaded upon the upper end of the centralplug I80 and extends upwardly therefrom. This casing28! is substantiallycylindrical and is threaded internally except for 'an intermediateportion which is internally flanged to provide a narrower bore as at282. This narrowed portion also provides a downwardly facing shoulderwhich is adapted to clamp the valve seat 283 against the upper end ofthe plug I80. A ball valve 284 occupies the bore 282 and is adapted toclose against the seat 283. A spring 285 is compressed between the ballvalve and an adjusting element or plug 288 which is threaded within theupper portion of the valve casing 28I.

It will be readily seen that when the outlet pressure in the chamber 98exceeds a certain amount, determined by the adjustment of the element286 against which the spring 285 bears, the ball valve 284 will beunseated and the gas will be vented into the chamber 289 enclosed withinthe dome or casing I88. From this chamber the gases may pass into theatmosphere through one or more openings 290 provided in the wallthereof. An annular screen element 29I is disposed .within the chamber289 and is adapted to cover the openings 290 to provide a flame arresteras a. safety feature in case the gases employed are of a combustiblenature.

It will be seen that the novel relief valve arrangement is convenientlystowed within the normal confines of regulators of this type instead ofbeing projected outwardly from the casing, and this positioning of thevalve within the casing enables the provision of the flame preventingmeans embodied in the screen 29I. I

One important feature of the present invention is the readiness by whichan accurate seating surface may be formed on the hard rubber orcomposition v'alv'e seats 38. Before using the device, the cap I8 in thebottom of the regulator assembly is removed, thus exposing the valveunit 15. Then a slender rod R may be inserted through the mouth of thebore 38 in the end of the valve unit and in contact with the ball valve85. The rod R is then given several light taps with a small hammer inthe manner clearly 11- lustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing. This willeffectively seat the ball in the rubber or composition seating member 38and the seat thus formed will conform exactly to the spherical contourof the ball valve. Thus, the valve is readily accessible for thispurpose and also for complete removal from the device, the whole valveand seat assembly being withdrawn as a unit, as clearly illustrated inFigure 2 of the drawing.

Another feature applicable to regulators of this type and which may alsobe embodied in other valve controls involves the actuating pin orplunger I18 which extends between the diaphragm head I19 and theregulating valve element 35. This pin may be made from a blankoriginally cylindrical in form, and provided with longitudinal flutes250, of which there are three in the embodiment shown. The pin H8 isdisposed in a cylindrical bore I00 formed in the body casting I2 of thedevice and the flutes 250 provide means for the passage of the gasthrough thisbore when the pin is in operative position. Branchpassageways IIO, of course, may lead from the lower portion of this boreto the outlet chamber 88.

In order to prevent chattering of the pin under certain conditions ofoperation of the regulator, a vibration preventing device is employedwhich comprises the resilient ring 255 which is adapted to fit in thegrooves or notches 256 out in the remaining portion of the peripheralsurface of the pin after the flutes 250 have been formed. This springring 255 is adapted to fit snugly within the grooves 256 and the ends258 of the spring are bent inwardly into one of the flutes 250 as shown.This causes the portions of the spring wing which bridge the remainingflutes 250 to bulge or bow outwardly to an exceedingly slight degree.This bowing or projecting of the spring element is not sufiicient toprevent the prompt movement of the pin in response to the action of thediaphragm or of the valve spring 86, but it is effective to apply justenough friction to the pin to prevent chattering or vibration thereofunder certain conditions of approximate balance between the inlet andoutlet pressures.

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made inthe embodiment illustrated herein without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined by the following claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a fluid pressure regulator of the class described, the combination ofa casing containing inlet and outlet chambers and a passagewayconnecting the same; a self contained valve carrying unit threaded insaid passageway and having its inlet end projecting therefrom into saidinlet chamber, said unit comprising a tubular member having a boreextending axially therethrough; said bore communicating with a widersocket at the outlet end of the unit, whereby an internal shoulder isformed at the junction of said bore and socket; an annular, somewhatmalleable, non-metallic valve seat element in said socket in engagementwith said shoulder and frictionally retained therein; a valve element insaid bore and adapted to seat against the inner side of the annularseating element at the margin of the central opening therethrough; acoil spring seated against a second internal shoulder formed in thewalls of the bore near the inlet end of the unit and resilientlypressing the valve element toward its seat; said bore extending withnarrower diameter from said second shoulder through the inlet end of theunit and opening outwardly thereof, whereby a tamping pin may beinserted to cause the valve element to term a seating surface on saidmember, means on the inlet end or said valve carrying unit for theapplication of a nmxsnnm r'. mums.

